1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of folded greeting cards having holders for holding audio cassettes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,780 to Ellis describes a foldable member formed of cover stock and carrying thereon a receptacle having a configuration that is complementary to the configuration of a standard audio cassette. While this foldable member is particularly configured for convenient mailing, it does not have the folio configuration of conventional greeting cards, but rather the configuration of a box structure with internally imprinted sides. While an imprinted photograph and imprinted instructions for unfolding the folded member into various display configurations are shown, what is needed is a provision for adding visual information by the used, such as an attached, not imprinted, photograph, and written text, along with a more familiar folio-type of configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,466 to Ivey describes a folio of card material for receiving an article. The folio comprises a sheet folded to form panels, one overlying another; a surface of one of said panels being provided with a pocket for receiving the article, the pocket being expansible from a flattened condition such that, on insertion of the article, the pocket expands in volume to receive the article. This folio is provided to replace a conventional token, which can be exchanged at an authorized dealer for merchandise having a value specified on the token, with the token having the general form of a greeting card. This folio instead includes a gift article itself, while retaining the general appearance of a greeting card. While this folio fills a particular need for gifts of specific small articles, it does not address a need for providing for sending information, including pictures, audio recordings, and written text provided by an individual sending the folio.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,348 to Smith describes a two-way mailing envelope for an audio cassette for conveying written and oral messages between a first sender and a first recipient. The two-way mailing envelope for an audio cassette includes an envelope, a first label and a second label which is enclosed in the envelope. The envelope is formed by joining a front panel with a flap which is disposed adjacent to an open end and a rear panel. A letter and an audio cassette may be placed in the envelope. A first layer of protecting material and a second layer of protecting material are mechanically coupled to the front and rear panels, respectively, in order to protect the audio cassette from damage. The first label is mechanically coupled to the front panel. The address of the first recipient and the return address of the first sender are applied on the first label. A first layer of adhesive material and a second layer of adhesive material are disposed on the flap in order to adhere the flap to the rear panel thereby closing the envelope. A first cover and a second cover the first and second layers of adhesive material, respectively, and are detachably coupled thereto. The first and second senders, respectively, use the first and second layers of adhesive material to secure the flap to the rear panel. While a convenient method for sending audio cassettes back and forth is provided, the only provisions made for written material relate to addressing the envelope to be mailed in each direction. Again, what is needed is a method providing for appending photographs and written material from the sender.
A different approach to sending recorded audio information is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,851 to Jacobson. An "audio mailer," including a tape recorder or other sound recording and reproducing device non-removably encased and configured as a mailer, so that a user can conveniently and confidentially send or receive voice or other sound messages through the mail. The mailer may further have a crevice space for an inserted enclosure, such as a letter, document, photograph or other indicia. A customized or commercially available small tape recorder and audiotape sound storage medium may be employed in the preferred embodiment. The audiotape may be either built-in or contained in a removable microcassette. While storage of a letter, document, or photograph, etc. is provided in a crevice space, what is needed is a way to display such visual information, particularly in a folio configuration. Furthermore, the need to send an entire tape recorder makes the package to be sent much larger and more expensive than the packages of other methods.
A number of other patents describe book-like containers for audio cassettes and for similar articles, such as video cassettes. These containers are typically described as being used to provide archival storage for the cassettes in an attractive, protective, and easily accessed containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,132 to Willieme describes a composite cover-support for tape cassettes and books, which comprises a cover assembly, similar to the covers of a book, and, joined to this assembly, at least one receptacle for at least one tape cassette and at least one means of fixation for at least one book, these elements being arranged in such a manner that, when said cover assembly is folded up upon itself, the cassette and the book lie adjacent each other, occupy substantially the total space between the cover members and are coplanar, with the cassette being held in position within the cover assembly by an edge of the book or by an edge of the support means for the book within the cover assembly. Other examples of such book-like containers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,602 to Heyderman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,907 to Byrne, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,489 to Vickers. Such patents do not address a need for presenting cassettes, pictures, and text in an easily-mailed greeting card format.